Nano PGE1 promoted the recovery from spinal cord injury-induced motor dysfunction through its accumulation and sustained release

Abstract The effect of Nano PGE 1 (nanoparticles containing prostaglandin E 1 ) on spinal cord injury (SCI) was investigated in rat model. Nano PGE 1 significantly and dose-dependently promoted the recovery from SCI-induced motor dysfunction, and the potency of Nano PGE 1 was comparable with successive treatment of Lipo PGE 1 , and was superior to single treatment of Lipo PGE 1 . Distribution study revealed that Nano PGE 1 sustained longer in the blood. In the injured spinal cord, gradual accumulation and longer retention were observed. Lipo PGE 1 was also accumulated with time, but over 10 fold less. It should be noted that over 80 fold more of PGE 1 were detected in Nano PGE 1 -treated injured spinal cord as compared with that in normal ones. Nano PGE 1 -treated injured spinal cord had less lesion cavity with increased MBP expression. Also, HGF production significantly increased as compared with that of SCI control. These findings could lead to the conclusion that Nano PGE 1 had the therapeutic potential for SCI, which might be partly ascribed by the efficient distribution of Nano PGE 1 to the injured spinal cord. The sustained release of PGE 1 would have increased HGF production, and both would have promoted cell survival and endogenous repair.